Aerator



March 9 E. P. AGHNIDES 4 AERATOR Filed NOV. 10, 1952 ATTORNEYS) Patented Mar. 2, 1954 2,670,942 AERATOR Elie P. Aghnides, New York, N. Y. Application November 10, 1952, Serial No. 319,710

Claims priority, application France November 29, 1949 14 Claims. (Cl. 261-116) This invention relates to aerators and more particularly to aerators for water faucets or other outlets.

In my U. S. Patent 2,210,846, I illustrated a device for aerating water. The present invention is an improvement upon that basic patent and has for its object the provision of means for selectively modifying the output stream of the aerator so that one may obtain at will either a coherent stream of water as contemplated in said patent or in the alternative a spray.

In carrying out the foregoing object Iprovide an aerator of the type contemplated in said patent provided with means for moving the lower screens into and away from the path of the water whereby the type of the stream emerging from the device may be altered.

The advantage of the present invention will become apparent when it is realized that while the coherent bubbly aerated stream of my said prior patent has great advantages in many sit-- uations, there are a few situations in which a spray has greater advantages. The present 'in-' vention enables one to select either stream selectively.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a sectional view of one form of the invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 3A illustrates a modified form of disc I4.

Figure 4 is a sectional view of a modified for of my invention.

Figure 5 i a sectional view taken along line 55 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a, sectional view of a modified form of the invention. Figure 7 is a sectional view of a further modified form of the invention.

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken along linei A highly eflicient means for intimately mixing the fluids is a fine wire-mesh screen located be tween the apertures of elements II and the dis- 2 charge end of the device. The use of screens is very convenient as they enable the designer to obtain any desired resistance by selecting the number of screens used and/or by using finer or coarser screens. The size of the mesh employed is not critical, but I have obtained good results by using screens of 40 wires per inch of .009" wire diameter, or screens of 29 x 30 wires per inch of .0114 and .0102" respectively. When the device is used in connection with water aeration, for instance, the use of such screens finely breaks up the water and oifers sufiicient resistance for thoroughly mixing it with air. On the other hand, the resistance of the screen is low enough to permit the passage of considerable volume of air in the form of bubbles disseminated in the water. The streamlets of I aerated-water are sufficiently close together so that on issuing they join each'other to form a single stream.

Downstream of the conical bodies II is located a thick disc I4 having two screens I3 and two holes I5. Disc I4 is pivoted for rotation about a rod I6 carried by the member I! which is integral with the casing I0. Pins I8 carried by disc I4 cooperate with pin holes in member I I whereby the disc I 4 may be stopped in either of two positions. In the first position, screens l3 are respectively located under the two conical members II whereas in the second position, holes I5 are located under the two conical members I I. In the said first position, the high velocity streamlets from the webbed conical elements II impinge upon screens'l3 which offer sufiicient resistance to the flow to break up the streamlets and thoroughly mix them with air whereby the stream flowing from the downstream end of each screen I3 is a white coherent jet of aerated water containing innumerable bubbles the same as I described in my aforesaid prior patent.

When the disc I4 is rotated by ninety degrees to bring holes I5 under the conical members II, the streamlets from those members pass through holes I5 without impedance and hence the res sult is a spray emanating from each pole I5 of the type produced by an ordinary shower head.

As shown in Figure 3A it is obvious that the disc I4 may have the shape of a figure 8 with two screens I3. When rotated ninety degrees the screens are moved out of the path of the streamlets from members II whereby the sprays leaving members I I pass downward wholly unaffected by element I I. i Y

If the discs I4 of Figures 3 and 3A were relatively thin, a single coherent jet would be formed below each conical member l l but the coherency of the jet is improved if the holes below screens l3 in disc It are tapered as shown in the drawing, whereby any divergence from a circular cross-section is avoided.

This application is a continuation in part of my prior copending application S; N. 135,645, filed December 29, 1949, entitled Fluid Mixing Device. In that application I illustrated numerous aerators having conical webbed members such as member H of this application and also aerators using perforated discs in place of the webbed conical elements. It may be stated as. a general rule, though not an invariable one, that I prefer the webbed conical elements when I desire to adjust the rate of flow by moving. the elements up and down. Hence, in Figure 1, I may provide for adjusting conical elements H up and down relative to casing in by any suitable means. On the other hand if I do not need a variable orifice above the screens I3 I may employ simple perforations in place of the webbed conical members ll. Such amodification is shown in Figure 4 which is similar to'Figure 1 in every respect except that thewebbed conical members I! are-replaced by perforations as shown.

A- furthermodified form is illustrated in Figure 6 where a casing 2| has internal threads whereby it may be attached to a faucet. A disc 22 having perforations 23 directs a plurality of jets toward screens 21 which are carried in the bowl 26-. Bowl 26 ispivoted to casing 2| at 24- and is held. in operating position by a spring element 25. When it is desired. to obtain a spray instead of a coherent white jet, the'bowl 26 is rotated about pivot: 24 so? it moves out from the path of motion of streamlets emerging from perforated disc 22.

In Figure 7 a faucet 3| feeds water through a washer 32 for restricting the area of flow, in accordance with some of my earlier teachings. A perforated diaphragm 33 produces high velocity streamlets directed toward screens 34 that break up the water and mix. it with air to create a white coherent bubbly stream. The screens 34 are held in place by nuts 36 and 31 and. by a spring all cooperating with a shaft or rod 40. The rod is held in place at its upper end by a nut 45, and at its lower end by three metal-.strips39. The coherent bubbly stream emerges from the mouth of the lower part 41. The upper part 44 has a groove 48 around its base along which pin M may travel. The groove 48- has six holes 42 therein and equally spaced. around the length of the groove.

There are three groups of holes 33, the groups being spaced angularly by 1 20 degrees apart. Hence, when pin-4|. is in one. at. the holes 42 the three groups of holes 33 respectively direct streamlets at the three screens- 34 which willrbe respectively below the three groups. of holes 33. The flow from the outlet 45 will. in. this case be a white coherent bubbly thoroughly aerated stream. If the lower part 41 is rotated onesixth. of a revolution to the next pin hole 42, the streamlets from holes 33 will not impinge on any screens but will pass through the spaces between screens 34 resulting in three distinct sprays. Hence, by rotating the lower part by one-sixth of a revolution the operator may change the character of. the stream from. an aerated white coherent one to a spray or vice versa.

It is noted that in the case ofeach form oi my invention herein shown the aerating screens are carried by a member separate from that carrying the perforated disc (or the conical members) and the streamlets actually pass through an unenclosed space S where mixing with air is accomplished.

Icla-im to have invented:

l..An aerating device comprising a casing adapted to be connected to a faucet at its upstream end, said casing having a circular opening in its downstream end, spray producing means including a tapering element of circular cross=section coaxial with said opening with the base of the element downstream of the opening and the converging portion extending through the opening, said element having webs on its side in' line with the path of flow along the side of the element, a member located downstream of the opening and defining a second opening larger than and coaxial with the first-named opening. screen: means in the second opening with sufiicientlyfine mesh as to-finely breah up the water and mix it with air and unite the aerated'water togetherto form a coherent aerated stream containing air-bubbles, said second opening tapering to-reduce the area of flow as the water advances through it, a pivotal connection between said casing and said member including means for pivoting the latter about. an axis parallel to and outside the path of flow. said pivotal connection constituting the only means interconnecting the casing and. said member, means for locking the member in either of two positions in one of which the second opening is coaxial with the first. opening and in the other the second opening is wholly outside the path of flow, said member being of such. shape as to allow the spray from the casing to pass it unimpeded when themember is in the second position, the upper. end of the member" being. spaced downstream of. the downstream end of the-casing whereby there is an. unconfined space extending perpendicular to the path of. flow and passing between the member and the casing.

2. In a device for producing either a spray or an aerated stream, means for producing a spray composed of distinct high velocity diverging streamlets as in the case of an ordinary shower head, means located downstream of said spray producing means and separated therefrom by an uninclosed space for finely breaking up the water of said spray and mixing it with air and thereafter uniting it to form a coherent stream, containing small bubbles, and means pivotally connecting the second-named. means to theafirst-named means along an axis'outside the path of flow enabling the second-named means tobe' removedfromthepath-of flow of the spray, whereby either a spray or an aerated stream: may be. selected: at will. saidv axis being" generally parallel to the path of flow; the. second-named means being. continuously rotatable in at least one direction about said axis.

3. A device for producing either a spray or a. coherent jet of. aerated water containing small bubbles comprising a first member defining a channel therethrough for the water to flow and.

adapted at. its upstream end to be connected toa source of water under pressure, means at the downstream. end of said. member for breaking up the flow therethrough into distinct streamlets which emanate as a spray, a second.

member spaced downstreamfrom. the outlet of the first one and defining an. openingtherein: through which the water may flow, a. cylindrical hole in one of said members outside the path of flow and extending generally parallel to said path, a rod on the other of said members extending into said hole and rotatable relative to the wall of said hole, spring means biasing said members toward each other, means for supporting the second member solely by said rod, projections on one of said members and complementary indents on the other one arranged so that the projections are held in the indents by the biasing action of the spring means in first and second rotary positions of said second member, the opening in the second member being in the path of flow in said first rotary position, said second member being of such shape as to permit the spray to pass thereby unimpeded in the second rotary position, and screen means second casing in a plurality of positions in one of whichthe aerating means is in the pathof the spray and in another the second casing does not affect the spray, the device having an air inlet to allow atmospheric air to enter between themeans for producing high velocity streamlets and the aerating means, and a projection carried by one of said casings and a complementary indent in the other, the indent and projection being positioned to engage when the second casing is in one of said positions, the spring means biasing the projection into the indent.

8. A device for producing either a coherent jet of aerated water or a spray comprising a casing adapted for connection to a source of Water under pressure at its upstream end, means at the downstream end of the casing for dividing the output thereof into high velocity streamlets which if not altered will produce a spray, a second casing located downstream of the first one and separated therefrom by an uninclosed 4. A device as defined in claim 3 in which said members touch each other only in a limited area adjacent said rod which area is small compared to the cross-section of said members, the space between the members elsewhere than in said area being open all around the members.

5. A device as defined in claim 4 in which the opening in the second member tapers to restrict the flow as it moves downstream.

6. Adevice for producing either a coherent stream of aerated water or a spray comprising a casing adapted for connection to a source of fluid under pressure at its upstream end, means at the downstream end of the casing for dividing the output thereof into high velocity streamlets which if not altered will produce a spray, a second casing located downstream of the first one and including aerating means which when positioned in the path of said spray finely breaks up the water and mixes it with air and joins the aerated water together to form a coherent jet containing small bubbles, and means carried by the first casing for supporting the second casing in a plurality of positions in one of which the aerating means is in the path of the spray and in another the second casing does not affect the spray, the device having an air inlet to allow atmospheric air to enter between the means for producing high velocity streamlets and the aerating means, and spring means for increasing the impedance to movement of the second casing in one of said positions the means for supporting the second casing having small crosssection compared to that of said casings, said supporting means being the only means intersecting a plane which is upstream the second casing and extends between the casings whereby a substantially wholly unenclosed space is located between said casings.

'7. A device for producing either a coherent stream of aerated water or a spray comprising a casing adapted for connection to a source of fluid under pressure at its upstream end, means at the downstream end of the casing for dividing the output thereof into high velocity streamlets which if not altered will produce a spray, a second casing located downstream of the first one and including aerating means which when positioned in the path of said spray finely breaks up the water and mixes it with air and joins the aerated water together to form a coherent jet containing small bubbles, and means carried by the first casing for supporting the space, the second casing including aerating means which when positioned in the path of said spray finely breaks up the water and mixes it with air and joins the aerated water together to form a coherent jet containing small bubbles, and means carried by the first casing and acting as the sole support for the second one, the last-named means including a pivotal connection between the two casings enabling said aerating means to be rotated in a plane generally perpendicular to the path of fiow to a position out of the path of the spray whereby the spray is not altered, the aerating means comprising at least one screen and the second casingproviding a solid element around the edge of the screen, the screen having greater area than the crosssection of the spray directed upon it, and means which when the aerating means is moved into the path of the spray tends to stop it in said path so that the spray plays upon the screen and so that the spray does not directly play upon said solid element.

9. A device for producing either a coherent jet of aerated water or a spray comprising a casing adapted for connection to a source of water under pressure at its upstream end, means at the downstream end of the casing for dividing the output thereof into distinct independent high velocity streamlets which if not altered will produce a spray, a second casing located downstream of the first one and separated therefrom by an uninclosed space, the second casing including aerating means which when positioned in the path of said spray finely breaks up the water and mixes it with air and joins the aerated water together to form a coherent jet containing small bubbles, connecting means carried by the first casing and carrying the second one in at least two positions both of which are in a plane generally perpendicular to the path of flow in one of which positions the aerating means is in the path of the spray and in the other of which the aerating means is outside the path of the spray, the connecting means including means enabling the second casing to be manually moved to either of said positions, and means for retaining the second casing in said two positions and for providing greater impedance to movement of the second casing in both of said positions than in those intermediate positions in which the spray directly strikes the second casing.

10. A device for producing either a coherent jet of aerated water or a spray comprising a casing adapted for connection to a source. of water under pressure at. its upstream end, means at the. downstream end of the casing for diriding the output thereof into high velocity streamlets which if not altered will produce a spray, a second casing: located downstream of the first one and separated therefrom by an uninelosed space, the second. casing including aerating means which when positioned in the. path of said spray finely breaks up the water and-mixes it with air and joins the aerated water together to form a coherent jet containing small bubbles, and means carried by the first casing and acting as the sole support for the second one, the last-named means including a pivotal connection between the two casings enabling said aerating means to be rotated out of the path oi the spray whereby the spray is not altered and. also including. means. which increases the impedance to further rotation when the aerating 1 means is rotated into the path of the spray.

I1. A. device for producing either a coherent jet. of aerated water or a spray comprising a. casing adapted for connection to a source of water under pressure at its upstream end, means at the downstream end of the casing for dividing the output thereof into distinct independent high velocity streamlets which, if not altered will produce a spray, aerating means located downstream oi the casing and separated therefrom by an uninclosed space, the aerating means including means which when positioned in the path of said. spray finely breaks up the water andmixes it with air-and joins the aerated water together to form a coherent jet containing small bubbles, connecting means carried by the casing and carrying the aerating means in at least two positions in one of which the aerating means is in the path of the spray and in the other of which the aerating means is outside the path of the spray, the connecting means including. means enabling the aerating means to be man ually moved to either of said positions, and means for centering the aerating means in the path of the: spray when it is moved into said path.

12'. The device defined by claim 7 in which the second casing is pivoted. for rotation relative to. the first one about an: axis generally perpendicular to the path of flow, the projection engaging the indent when the water is flowing through both casings.

13. A device as defined in claim 7 in which the projection engages the indent when the aerating means is in the path of the spray.

14. The device of claim 2- in which the first named means produces a plurality of distinct sprays located around the third-named means, the second-named means having an aerating screen for each of said sprays, said screens being located around the third-named means, the second-named means being of such shape that when the screens are moved out of the paths'of the sprays the sprays pass the second-named means unimpeded.

ELIE P. AGHNIDES.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 649,082 Stahle May 8, I900 1,0 8,070 Kantrowltz Dec. 10, 1912' 2,210,846 Aghnid'es Aug. 6, 1940 2,316,832. Aghnides Apr. 20, 1943 2,382,066 Klein Aug. 14, 1945 2,448,792 Fraser Sept. 7,. 1948 2,575,222. Isenberg Nov. 13, 1 51 

